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Sunday, 4 January 2015

Founder of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Oke-Afa, Lagos, Primate Elijah Ayodele Babatunde, has urged Nigerians to pray against violence that may erupt after February presidential elections.The prominent seer told Daily Independent that 2015 will witness incidents that will shake the nation to its roots.He prophesied about President Jonathan and his wife, patience, his deputy, Namadi Sambo, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, the two major political parties as well as their leaders and candidates.Ayodele also spoke on the economy, security, as well as Ebola among others.Excerpts:General electionsNigerians should observe seven days prayer in January to avert crisis that may plunge the nation into serious confusion during and after the polls. This year’s election will throw up a lot of issues. President Goodluck Jonathan will do everything to win a second term, however, he needs 14 days prayer to have a peaceful reign to enable him complete a second term, if elected. International community and some heads of states will attempt to work against his re-election. Let us pray to stall violence that will erupt after the presidential election in February that may affect the conduct of governorship election in many states.The President should also commit his health and that of his wife to prayer. Obasanjo, Edwin Clark and former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, should rebuke what can cut short their political career. They are in the last political game. New leaders will take over from them soon. The next Speaker of House of Representatives will not live up to expectation as he will be a mere stooge of the President. The Senate will always be at loggerheads with the Presidency. Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega will be confused during the polls.There will be several gimmicks to cajole the INEC to rig the election. Prayers must be offered so that the commission will not lose some of its staff to accident or attack before and during the election. E-voting will not work. There will be ballot box snatching and stuffing during the election. Jonathan should do more to fight corruption and rescue the abducted Chibok girls otherwise opposition will shock him with propaganda on that. Both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) will soon be polarised by crisis. The national chairman of PDP, Adamu Mu’azu will have problems and may be removed from office; tell him to pray.Jonathan is in the midst of enemies who are after his life. Presidential jets should be sanctified to avoid artificial disaster. No matter what, Jonathan will be the last PDP President in Nigeria. I don’t see a landslide victory in the presidential election. To be frank, neither the victory of Jonathan or Buhari can guarantee peace except we pray well. Jonathan should be wary of diplomatic rows with foreign countries. Jonathan will not take Nigeria to the Promised Land. Let us pray against the death of an ex-President. Vice President Namadi Sambo should pray against what may make him witness political redundancy in office both before and after 2015 polls. I could see his office being negotiated at higher level.There won’t be election in some states. Both PDP and APC will share victory across the country, particularly in the South-West and the North. The election will be marred by advanced rigging. APC will later sue PDP. Anambra State governor, Willy Obiano, will have problems with big names in the state and his predecessor, Peter Obi. APGA’s flag will soon be swallowed by the PDP. The glory of Lagos APC is fading except the party hierarchy makes hasty restitution. Time is not on their side as regards the governorship election. They have committed a blunder with the choice of Akinwunmi Ambode as governorship candidate. Only prayer can change the tide. PDP will spring surprises and shock APC.If PDP works hard, the party will win Lagos governorship. However, the party’s candidate, Jimi Agbaje, needs prayers. APC will face an uphill task to retain Edo and Oyo states. Governor Abiola Ajimobi should be careful not to lose to Rashidi Ladoja of Accord Party. In Rivers State, if PDP underrates APC, the latter will win, though the election will be marred with violence. Attempts by the opposition parties to defeat Governor Ibikunle Amosun in Ogun State will not materialise. If APC elects right governorship candidate, the party will dislodge PDP from Ondo State in 2016. PDP will win Delta and Cross River states but there will be crisis in Abia and Ebonyi states even though the party will win there.APC will win in Sokoto. PDP will find it hard to retain Kaduna State because there will be serious crisis there. Kano State will be difficult for PDP to win, so also Katsina State. PDP will win Jigawa and Taraba. Prayer must be offered to avert the death of former ministers from the South-West and South-South and to douse serious political tension in Kwara, Jos, Ekiti, Plateau, Kano, Kaduna, Imo, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Yobe and Taraba States. PDP has messed up in Kwara, the victory will go to APC. Former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro should pray against political disappointment.EconomyThe stock exchange will rise in the early part of the year. Effect of devaluation of naira will continue till around August. Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, despite her World Bank background, will not be able to make appreciable impact on the economy. MTN and Etisalat should pray against management crisis. Glo workers should pray against sudden sack. Many states will not function well as result of the effects of accumulated debt. The governor of Central Bank of Nigeria will have crises. He may be denied a second term. Some banks will collapse and one of the dead banks will be resuscitated.Flour, sugar and fuel prices will be increased in the year. There will be serious crises in OPEC and the Controller-General of Customs and the group managing director of the NNPC will be removed. State of the nation. Prayer must be offered against recurrence of Ebola in Nigeria in the year. The Presidential Villa called Aso Rock will soon have a new name. It may not be in 2015 but certainly it will happen. I also foresee more building collapse in Lagos in the year. Climatic condition will cause a lot of problems and kidnapping will take a different dimension in the year, so, please, let us counter these with prayer before hand.Let traditional rulers in the South-West pray against infernos that may engulf their palaces. Journalists and Nollywood stars need prayers against sudden death. National secretariat of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) will experience crisis. Also, Oba of Benin, Emirs of Nupe and Zaria should pray against sickness. Some universities will be shut because of cultism and some Vice Chancellors will be queried. We need to pray to avoid plane crash in Lagos, Abuja and Kano airports. We need prayers against ocean surge in Nigeria and other African countries this year.The South-West must be careful against the sudden outbreak of polio and cholera. We need prayers against fluid outbreak occasioned by poultry products.There will be fresh cases of Ebola in the year, let those in the health sector double their efforts. We should pray against death of one of the outgoing governors, a first lady and communication guru. National Union of Road Transport and Workers (NURTW) will face serious infighting and killings and court actions. We must pray against bloodshed among their members in different states. Some states in Nigeria will collapse from 2018, owing due to excessive borrowing from overseas.InsecurityI see flames from bombings in several parts of the country, including the South-West and more abduction of school pupils. Efforts should be intensified by security operatives to forestall that. Boko Haram will come up with different strategies to attack the nation. There are three groups of Boko Haram in Nigeria already. Only prayers can weaken their strength. Countries pretending they want to assist Nigeria to curb Boko Haram are not our friends. If they are allowed, they will create more problems for the nation. Chief of Staff to the President will have issues with his boss and some Ministers. Security details of the President will also be changed.SportsI foresee a trophy being lifted by Chelsea Football Club this year in England. Nigeria’s League Management Company needs to guard and pray against crisis in the year. Let us pray against the death of football and boxing legends in the year too.